Saint Matthew Catholic Church...a community of faith and love

Transcription

1 March 24, 2019 Saint Matthew Catholic Church...a community of faith and love Mission Statement With the Word of God as our foundation, the people of St. Matthew Catholic Parish strive to be the presence of God in our community. We do so through joyful worship, fellowship among our members, a welcoming spirit to visitors and seekers, an increasing willingness to give our time, talent and treasure to serve God s people and a desire to spread our faith through ongoing spiritual sharing. Pastor Very Reverend Thomas J. Anastasia, V.F. Priests Assisting this week: Rev. James Bucaria Rev. Terry Fleming Deacon Deacon Tony Quattrocki Mass Times Saturday Vigil: 4:00pm Sunday:7:30am, 9:00am and 11:00am Holy Days: Will be announced Monday Saturday 8:30am Rosary: Monday Saturday 8:00am Sacrament of Penance Saturdays 3:00pm 3:45pm or by appointment through the parish office. St. Matthew Catholic Church th Avenue North Largo, FL Phone (727) Fax (727) Website Info@stmat.org Parish Office Hours Monday-Thursday 9:00am-4:00pm Friday 9:00am-12:00pm Thank you to a fantastic team that made our St Joseph Table celebration a huge success. Also thank you to all the people who came and enjoyed this Italian feast. Viva San Giuseppe!

2 Pastor s Column 3/24/19 Dear Friends in Christ, Spring has sprung! You might not have noticed but we formally welcomed Spring at the end of last week just when what might be the final cold front for awhile came through. The end of Spring Training in the MLB world means the beginning of the season and this week I am looking forward to the Home Opener. I look forward to it every year but this year my regular nose bleed seats have been eliminated. Consequently, I will be a little closer to the action on Thursday when the Cy Young winner Blake Snell on the Rays goes against the runner up Verlander of the Houston Astros. The big crowds of opening day are exciting but our local team has not done well historically drawing big crowds the rest of the year. There are similarities to the large crowds the Church pulls in at Easter, Christmas and even Ash Wednesday and the relatively smaller crowds the rest of the year with our local MLB franchise attendance woes. In Luke s gospel this weekend, Jesus makes a clear distinction between tragedy and sin. In his era, people believed strongly in the connection. In our secular environment today, people generally don t make such connections but it will occasionally surprise me how some who are not at all connected with the family of faith latch on to the kind of superstitious mindset that Jesus opposes. The real tragedy is that there is a loss of a sense of sin or acknowledgement of responsibility for any wrong and this lack of integrity in our broader culture is perhaps why Ash Wednesday is still so popular. The clipboards that are at each of the exits and in the pews are available as a means to sign up for our 40 hours of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on the 1 st weekend of April. Every First Friday following the 8:30am Mass we have a Holy Hour which concludes with benediction. Because it s in the morning however, only a few people get an opportunity to experience it. This coming opportunity will be for everyone who wishes to spend quiet time with the LORD in front of the Blessed Sacrament any time between 7pm on Friday April 5 th and 12noon on Sunday April 7 th. Those who loved praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament during Adoration on their Light of the World Retreat and even those who were challenged by the experience might wish to try this experience. You are invited to pray for the fruitfulness of our Nehemiah Action Assembly, our Holy Week Celebrations, or whatever your intentions might be. Peace in Christ, Fr. Tom J. Anastasia, Pastor Readings for the week March 17-24, 2019 Sunday, March 24 Third Sunday of Lent Ex 3:1-8a, Cor 10:1-6, Lk 13:1-9 Monday, March 25 The Annunciation of the Lord Is 7:10-14; 8-10 Heb 10:4-10 Lk 1:26-38 Tuesday, March 26 Dn 3:25; Mt 18:21-35 Wednesday, March 27 Dt 4:1, 5-9 Mt 5:17-19 Thursday, March 28 Jer 7:23-28 Lk 11:14-23 Friday, March 29 Hos 14:2-10 Mk 12:28-34 Saturday, March 30 Hos 6:1-6 Mk 12:28-34 Sunday, March Fourth Sunday of Lent Jos 5:9a, Cor 5:17-21 Lk 15:1-3, OUR LENTEN PRAYER Adapted from Matthew Kelly s book, The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity Lord, please, I beg you, never let me forget that holiness is possible, and give me the grace and courage to go out into the world and create with you as many Holy Moments as possible. Amen.

3 The Third Week of Lent The Deacon s Corner Mass Intentions Saturday, March 23 4:00pm Linda Burke Sunday, March 24 7:30am People of the Parish 9:00am Dcn. Tony Kijonka 11:00am Edward Matyka Monday, March 25 8:30am Richard Leahy Tuesday, March 26 8:30am Mary Albright Wednesday, March 27 8:30am Francis Faherty Thursday, March 28 8:30am Ferris & Evelyn Stenk Friday, March 29 8:30am Mary Kochappan 6:00pm Stations of the Cross Saturday, March 30 8:30am Special Intentions of The Thaddeus Freeman Family 4:00pm Earl Lochner *Fr. Tom Anastasia Sunday, March 31 7:30am Deceased Members of The Matus Family *Fr. Tom Anastasia 9:00am People of the Parish *Fr. Paul McLaughlin 11:00am Anita Savoca *Fr. Tony Fortunato *Priest schedule subject to change. Everyone is aware that if you own a car that it is important that you rotate your tires on a regular basis. If your tires get out of line and you don t take time to adjust them you soon painfully learn that one side of your tire looks like it has brand new treads but the other side is in extreme danger of blowing a hole and may cause severe damage to you and your passengers. Lent can be a time when you help ourselves maintain balance and stay safely on the road. As you journey on life s highway be aware that you should use this time to reflect, change habits, start anew, ask for mercy and be merciful to those who caused you harm. Stated simply, Lent can be a 40-day tune-up. Use the tools of prayer, fasting and charitable giving to adjust and balance your heart for conversion. As you journey the high-speed highway of your daily life, Lent give you the needed scheduled service time to properly balance work, family, worship and recreation. If you neglect proper maintenance you will be in danger of an unbalanced life and just like the out of balanced tire, a blowout will occur. It s just a matter of time The worshiping community of St Matthew s is here to provides yearlong, full service maintenance and is open every day of the year to assist in your life s travels and to guide you safely to your final destination. Share your blessings along the Journey! Deac T Prayer for Priests and Future Priests Eternal Father, we lift up to you these and all the priests of the world. Sanctify them, heal and guide them. Mold them into the likeness and holiness of your Son Jesus, the Eternal High Priest. May their lives be pleasing to you. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen. 03/25 Rev. Hugh Chikawe 03/26 Rev. Chien Dinh, SVD 03/27 For Vocations to the Priesthood & Religious Life 03/28 Rev. Vijaya B. Polamarasetty, OCD 03/29 Stephen Eschenfelder, Seminarian 03/30 Rev. Pedro J. Zapata 03/31 Rev. Zachary Elliott, OFM Come Spend An Hour With Christ 40 Hour Adoration and Exposition will be held at St Matthew s from Friday, April 5th (7:00 pm) till Sunday, April 7th 11:00 am. Sign up sheets are available before and after Mass. Come. Lent is a perfect time to spend a few moments with Jesus. God Bless Our Troops!

4 Building a caring community that serves others. Let Us Place God First in Our Lives in 2019! You are My Hands,You are My Voice, You are My Presence in this World Stewardship of Treasure Parish Sacrificial Giving Summary In gratitude for the gifts we received from God, we thank all Parishioners and visitors who made a joyful return to the Lord this weekend. March 16-17, 2019 Offertory Totals Envelopes $ 4, Loose Donations $ 3, Online Giving $ 2, Total $ 9, Debt Reduction Week Before the Collection Next week, our parish will take up The Catholic Relief Services Collection. Funds from this collection provide food to the hungry, support displaced refugees, and bring Christ s love and mercy to all people here and abroad. Next week, please give generously to the collection, and help Jesus in disguise. Learn more about the collection at St. Vincent de Paul In today s Gospel Jesus is quite clear in his message: bear fruit or be cut down. This Lent we are called to cultivate and fertilize our spiritual lives through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Through your almsgiving you are performing a good work; far greater than you think. Thank you for all your support whether it be financial or through prayer. Encounter Lent The Dhathcroos family returned home, after fleeing violence in their country, to build a prosperous farm and become a vital contributor to their community. How can you assist refugees in your community to rebuild their lives? How can you support refugees worldwide who are fleeing violence in their country? Visit crsricebowl.org for more. Envelopes $ Loose Donations $ Online Giving & Total $ 2, The Marriage Minute Building Stronger Christian Marriages Happily married couples often say they married their best friend. What are the qualities of friendship that you value? Loyalty? Sense of humor? Similar interests? A pleasing personality? When was the last time you actually thanked your partner for being your spouse, friend, lover? Remember. Marriage takes Three! Fridays in Lent at 6:00pm Enrich your Lenten journey with a special Lenten Friday St. Matthew tradition of praying the Stations of the Cross outside in our beautiful St. James Prayer Pavilion (weather permitting) followed by a simple soup supper. There is no cost for the supper although a donation to the Rice Bowls collection is appreciated. Each week is sponsored by one of our ministries: March 29 St. Vincent de Paul April 5 Knights of Columbus April 12 Seasons

5 March 24, 2019

6 2019 Annual Pastoral Appeal Update This Week... Sunday, March 24 9:15am Youth Ministry 9:30am Children s Faith Formation 12:15pm RCIA Monday, March 25 6:50pm SEASONS Tuesday, March 26 9:00am Miraculous Medal Novena Wednesday, March 27 9:00am Faith Share 9:30am Griefshare 9:30am LOTW 7:00pm Centering Prayer 7:00pm Parish Council 7:00pm St. Vincent de Paul Thursday, March 28 6:00pm Band 6:30pm Adult Programs 7:20pm Choir Friday, March 29 9:00am Divine Mercy Chaplet 6:00pm Stations of the Cross Soup Supper Saturday, March 30 9:00am Lenten Series Sunday, March 31 Catholic Relief Services Collection 9:15am Youth Ministry 9:30am Children s Faith Formation 12:15pm RCIA Be Bold - Be Courageous Be Catholic!! St. Matthew s Griefshare program meets Wednesday mornings, 9:30-11:30am, in Trinity Hall. For information please Dr. Lori Puterbaugh at drloriputerbaugh@earthlink.net or call at Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! To all 144 FAMILIES who have already donated to this years APA campaign. This annual effort supports the church's ministry work in all five counties which is made up of over 365,000 Catholics. Your Gift Transforms Lives. For this we are grateful. Currently we are off to a slower start than last year. You can see we have a way to go. If you have yet to give please do so now. BE COURA- GEOUS! APA envelopes are at all the church entrances and in the pews. You can visit and give electronically. Some will be able to give a substantial amount. Others will be able to offer the widow s mite. The important thing is that everyone participates in this appeal. BE COURAGEOUS! Clergy, Religious, Vocations & Seminarian Education & Formation > 18.9% Catholic Social Services > 14.1% Parish, School & Diocesan Services > 30.7% Pastoral Center Operations > 9.2% Catholic Faith Formation & Education >16.4% Pastoral Leadership > 10.7% Thank You for Supporting Our Parish 2019 Annual Pastoral Appeal March 18, 2019 Goal $107, Pledged $ 41, * Average Gift $ Paid $ 17, *Pledges are from 144 of our 656 families. Thank you! Courage Retreat A Day of Recollection will be offered by the Courage and Encourage Apostolates of the Diocese of St. Petersburg on April 6, Courage supports men and women who experience same sex attraction and strive to live chastely in accord with the beautiful teaching of the Catholic Church about the goodness and inherent meaning of human sexuality. Encourage offers spiritual support to family members of those effected by same sex attraction. For more information contact Encourage.tampabay.org; Register at: Florida Catholic Advocacy Network (FLCAN) Sign-Up Catholic social teaching invites us to love and pursue justice for our neighbors; to protect the sacredness and uphold the dignity of human life at every stage of development; to seek peace and promote the common good. Through the Florida Catholic Advocacy Network (FLCAN) Catholics across Florida can stay informed and take action on important public policy issues of interest to Catholics in Florida. To receive FLCAN notifications complete a postcard & drop it in the collection basket, text FLCAN to 50457, or join online at

7 myparishapp.com / Sacraments and Ministries BAPTISM of INFANTS: The Sacrament of Baptism celebrates God s love and initiates us into the community of believers called the Church. We are the Church, and each baptism we perform or witness is a sign of our faith in Christ s power to renew the face of the earth. Baptisms are celebrated during the Mass. For Baptism preparation classes for parents, contact the parish office: (727) We recommend attending before the birth of your child. SACRAMENT OF THE SICK: Call the office at any time in case of serious sickness. If you are hospitalized, the priest assigned to the hospital will administer the sacrament. SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE: Call the office a minimum of six months in advance. Participation in Journey to Matrimony or Pre-Cana program is required. SACRAMENTS FOR ADULTS: R.C.I.A. is for adults and unbaptized teens wanting to be Catholic Christians. Please contact the office of Faith Formation at (727) , ext SACRAMENTS FOR TEENS: CONFIRMATION for baptized teens wanting to complete their Sacraments. Please contact Youth Ministry, Faith Formation at (727) , ext. SACRAMENTS FOR CHILDREN: First Communion and Reconciliation for baptized children ages 7 and older. Please contact the Office of Faith Formation at (727) , ext KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS: The Knights of Columbus St. Matthew Council #11226, extends an invitation to all Catholic men to join our council. The council meets the First Monday of the month. If you are interested in hearing more about the Knights of Columbus, please contact Jack Hughes- Grand Knight at ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY: Assistance to the needy. Calls are monitored and returned daily. Phone PROJECT HUNGER: On the third Sunday of every month, donations of food for our food pantry are collected. CENTERING PRAYER: Centering Prayer is a form of silent contemplation practiced both as a part of a group and in our daily lives. We meet Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm for approximately one and a half hour. Please feel free to come join us. Call Judi Valori at or jvalori@tampabay.rr.com if you have any questions. WOMEN S MINISTRY: Meet at 7:00pm the third Tuesday of every month August through May. New members are always welcome! SICK OR INCAPACITATED: Please contact the parish office if you, or a family member, would like to be included in our monthly prayer list. If you are unable to attend Mass, let us know if you would like to schedule a visit from an Eucharistic Minister. VOCATIONS: Contact Fr. Melchior for more information at (727) or spvocation@dosp.org. Welcome New Members We invite everyone interested in joining our faith community to take a welcome packet, which is located in the two entryways and register to be part of our faith community. Registering allows us to serve your needs more fully. Please come by the office during the work week or fill out the registration from and place in the collection basket. You can also register online at Children over the age of eighteen, please register separately from your parents. PILGRIMAGE TO POLAND AND EASTERN EUROPE 12 Days: September 9-20, 2019 Warsaw * Krakow * Budapest * Vienna * Prague Hosted By Fr. Tom Anastasia ONLY $3899 from Tampa or Miami (Air/land price is $3479 plus $420 gov t taxes/ airline surcharges) GERMANY, PRAGUE & AUSTRIA Featuring the Passion Play of Oberammergau! 12 Days: August 25 to September 5, 2020 ONLY $ 4799 from Tampa or Miami (Air/Land price is $ 4349 plus $ 450 gov t taxes/ airline surcharges) Tour Includes: Roundtrip Airfare from Tampa or Miami, First Class/Select Hotels, Most Meals, Professional Tour Director, Comprehensive Sightseeing and more!! FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT FR. ANASTASIA Tel: (727) godrays@stmat.org Parish Staff Pastor: Very Rev. Tom Anastasia, V.F. (ext. 205) Deacon: Deacon Tony Quattrocki (ext. 203) Deacon.Tony@stmat.org Faith Formation Ministries: Phil Coit (ext. 204) Youth Ministries: Lisa Limberger Music Ministry: Chantal Ward (ext. 202) Parish Secretary: Mandy Rose (ext. 201) Maintenance Staff: Jim Murray Joe LaFrazia Don Koster